Automatic cork-puller.



WITNESSES Bi WALKER.

AUTOMATIC CORK FULLER.

I APPLICATION FILED FBB.20, 1907.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH CO WASHINGTON. D. c.

Patented Mar. 25, 1913.

4 SHEETS-SHEBT 1.

INVENTOH Edwin l Vazl'er 7 1; ATTORNEYS E. WALKER.

AUTOMATIC CORK FULLER.

APPLIOATION FILED 2312.20, 1907 4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

5mm R =5 WITNESSES INVENTOH 9% Q W-q z'dwinwzker 75% I By ATTORNEYSPatented Mar. 25, 1913.

E. WALKER.

'AUTOMATIC' CORK FULLER. APPLICATION FILED 113.20, 1907. 1

1,057,021 Patented Mar. 25, 1913.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

WITNESSES INVENTOH BY. I

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH c0.. WASHINGTON, D. c.

5. WALKER AUTOMATIC GORKIPULILER. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 20, 1907 4SHEETS-SHEET 4.

w/rA/Essf Q} INVENTOI? Qzaauzfw Q3 Eawmmuer 7 I ATTOHN){S Patented Mar.25, 1913.

EDW'IN WALKER, OF ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA.

AUTOMATIC CORK-runners.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 25, 1913.

Application filed. February 20, 1907. Serial No. 358,470.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN WALKER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Erie, State of Pennsylvania, have invented a certain new anduseful Automatic Cork- Puller, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention is a machine for pulling corks, or other closures, frombottles and other containers.

The object of the invention is to extract a cork from a container andeject the cork from the machine by a continuous operation of a suitablelever.

A further object is to hold a bottle or container securely in positionduring the operation of thrusting an extracting screw into the cork, andof pulling the cork from said container, said bottle-holding means beingactuated positively during both the opening and closing movements of itsjaws or'members.

A further object is to simplify and improve the construction, secureefliciency in operation, and render the machine economical tomanufacture.

In the accompanying drawings, I have illustrated one practicalembodiment of the invention, but the construction shown therein is to beunderstood as illustrative only, and not as defining the limits of theinvention.

Figure l is a front elevation of one embodiment of my automatic corkpuller showing the parts in a position to begin the operation ofextracting the cork. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the machine with theparts in the position of Fig. 1 Fig. 8 is a vertical cross section onthe line 33 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 4- isa detail vertical section on the line 4Ll of Fig. 1 looking in thedirection ofthe arrow. Fig. 5 is a detail fragmentary view of the partof the machine on theline 66 of Fig. 2 illustrating one means forremoving the bottle closure of the type known as a crown seal. Figs. 6and 7 are vertical sectional views illustrating different positions ofthe parts during the operations of thrusting an extractor screw into acork and withdrawing said cork and screw from the bottle. Figs. 8 and 9are views in side elevation and front elevation, respectively,illustrating another embodiment of my in vention of the automatic corkpuller.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 7 inclusive, ofthe drawings the machine is adapted to be mounted on a counter, shelf,or other suitable support, the operating lever of said machine beingmovable in a path parallel to the length of the counter. The machineshown in Figs. 8 and 9, however, whichfigures represent anotherembodiment of this invention, has the operating lever arranged to swingin a direction at right angles to the length of a counter, said machineis equipped with a stationary orrigid mouth-piece adaptedfor thereception of a bottle from which the cork is to be extracted. The modeof operation of the two forms of the invention shown by the drawings ispractically the same, and for the purpose of enabling others tounderstand the invention I will now proceed to describe the machine indetail shown in Figs. 1 to 7 and will thereafter describethe machineshown in Figs. 8 and 9. It is to be observed at this point that theparticular means for mounting the machine does not constitute anessential part of the invention, for the reason that the machine may beprovided with means for securing the same to a wall or other surface.Various other expedients may be resorted to for supporting the operatingparts of the machine on any suitable surface.

As shown, the several working parts of the machine are supported on aframe or stand indicated in its entirety at A, said frame or standhaving a base plate or bed a, and parallel upright guides b, the latterbeing preferably in the form of smooth rods which are screwed into thebase so as to be attached rigidly thereto for the purpose of guiding thecoeperating crossheads B C. In Fig. 3, the guide rods or posts 6 areshown as being screwed into the bed a, but it is evident that thisdetail may be varied as desired for the purpose of attaching the postsor rods to said bed, and further, other forms of guides may besubstituted for the particular posts herein shown. The base a isprovided with an opening 0 preferably at a point between the post 6, andsaid base is, furthermore, provided with a depending hanger A, thelatter supporting a clamping screw D, which operates to press the clamp-Each crosshead B C is cast in a single piece, and said crossheads areindividually fitted to guide posts Z) for slidable movement thereon,said crossheads being adapted for movement individually although thecross-- heads are under certain conditions operated conjointly by asingle operating member to be presently described. The crosshead B isfitted to the guide 6 above the crosshead C, but the construction of thetwo crossheads B C is such that they are adapted to have overlappingrelation under certain movements thereof, whereby the crossheads B C maybe brought into compact relation to each other, as shown in Figs. 6 and7 wherein the crossheads are represented as being adapted for conjointmovement. The crosshead B consists of a plate 6 having an end flange band a top flange 79 The crosshead is provided also with a lug b thelatter having a vertical opening in alinement with one of two verticalopenings which are provided in the top flange 6 whereby the crosshead Bis adapted to be fitted on the two guide posts 7) in a manner to slidefreely up and down thereon. The other crosshead C consists of a plate 0,an end flange 0 and a bottom flange 0 The bottom flange of saidcrosshead C is provided with two openings to receive the posts 6, andthe end flange 0 of said crosshead has a lug 0 which is provided with anopening for the reception of one of said posts 6. Each crosshead ismounted on the guide posts in a manner to be guided or directed therebyin a rectilinear path so as to be free from any tendency to vibratesidewise, thus obviating lost motion, and

furthermore, the crossheads are offset or recessed so that they may bebrought into the overlapping relation to each other shown in Figs. 7 and8. The crosshead B is provided in its plate Z2 with a transversehorizontal slot 6, and similarly, the crosshead C is provided in itsplate 0 with another slot e,'the slot 6 of the crosshead O being shorterthan the slot 6 of the other crosshead B. Further, each slot is open atone end, the slot 6 of the crosshead C being open at the right-hand endthereof, while the slot 6 of the crosshead B is open at the left-handend thereof, whereby the slots of the crossheads may be brought in aregistered or alined relation when said crossheads assume theoverlapping relation of Figs. 6 and 7.

The crosshead C is shown as having a depending sleeve f which serves asa socket for the nut F. Said nut is made, preferably, of a piece of asuitable alloy, which is fitted in the sleeve and is held securelytherein by a binding screw f, said nut being I provided with a spiralpassage or female thread. The other crosshead B is provided in its plate6 with a chambered boss g, the

lower part of which is solid, except for a vertical opening which isprovided for the reception of the shank forming a part of the extractorscrew G. Said screw is fitted loosely in the boss 9 to rotate freelytherein, and the screw ranges vertically and lengthwise of the machinein order that the screw may work in the nut F, which is carried by thecrosshead C. Any suitable means may be provided for loosely con nectingthe screw G and the crosshead B, but as shown, the shank of said screwhas a cross pin 9' which holds the screw againstdisplacement in adownward direct-ion, and the pointed upper end 9 of the screw hasengagement with the bottom face of a plug or closure G, the latter beingscrewed into the chamber of the boss 9 and affording a bearing for theupward thrust of the screw G so as to preclude an upward movement ofsaid screw in the chambered boss, all as will be readily understood byreference to Fig. 3.

The frame or stand A is provided with an upwardly extending fulcrum posth, which is integral with the bed a, and is arranged in rear of theguide posts Z) and the crossheads B C. This post supports a pivotalshaft or arbor 71. on which is mounted an operating lever H, the latterbeing provided at its outer end with a suitable operating knob k Saidlever H is provided with an enlarged head 71. which constitutes alocking cam for the crosshead C in certain positions of the lever, andthe said crosshead, and furthermore, the lever is provided with anoperating member for the crossheads B C, which operating member is inthe form of a. stud or roller M. The operating member is provided on theenlarged head of the lever at the high point of the locking cam 7L3, sothat the member if is at one side of the pivot shaft 71 which affordsthe axis of movement of the lever H. Said member it and the locking cam71. are movable with the lever when it is shitted in the operation ofthe machine, and the member h is adapted to ride in the slots 0 e of therespective crossheads B C. The crosshead C is provided in its rear sidewith a stud or lug 2', which is in the plane of the locking cam if inorder that said stud may engage with said cam for the purpose ofdepressing the crosshead C and of locking the same in such depressedposition when the member operates the crosshead B independently of thecrosshead C, whereby the nut l is held in a stationary position duringthe reciprocating movement of the screw Gr when thrusting said screwinto a cork, or when withdrawing said screw from the cork after thelatter shall have been extracted from a bottle.

The cork puller shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings is providedwith a bottle holder or clamp having movable jaws, I, I, which areprovided with linings 2', adapted to engage frictionally with the neckof a bottle. Said jaws are pivotally supported by pins or screws j, in aslotted bracket, J, which depends from the bed, a. Said jaws areprovided with longitudinal slots, 70, through which passes a singleoperating shaft, K, the latter having a bent portion, 7a, which isprovided with an operating handle, Said shaft, K, is mounted in a fixedbearing, Z. The shaft, K, is provided with cam studs or rollers, one ofwhich is shown at 12., said rollers being adapted to engage with theouter faces of the jaws for the purpose of closing them.

The bottle holder or clamp shown'in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 is constructed andoperated substantially as disclosed in a divisional application filed byme on the 16th of April, 1907, Serial No. 368,532.

The base a of the supporting frame or stand is shown in Fig. 5' ashaving an opening 0 and with the cavity 0, the latter be ing in theunderside of the base. The outer side of the cavity 0 is closed by awall 0 which terminates in a lip 0 This construction is provided for thepurpose of removing a metal bottle closure of the type known as a crownseal. The closed end of a bottle is adapted to be thrust into the cavity0 so that the bottle will take the inclined position shown by dottedlines in said Fig. 5, whereby the seal may be thrust through the opening0 in a manner for the lip 0 to fit below the edge of said seal,whereupon the bottle may be pressed down and the lip 0 will lift theseal from the bottle.

The machine is provided, also, with means for removing the metallicbottle closure of the type known as an aluminum stopper. This device inone form of the invention is embodied as a horn O which is shown asintegral with a part ofthe machine, preferably the crosshead C. The hornextends outwardly from the crosshead and it is adapted to receive thealuminum stopper in a way to engage firmly with said stopper, while thebottle is pressed downwardly, whereby the stopper may be easily andquickly withdrawn from the bottle The machine represented in Figs. 8 and9 is similar in all substantial particulars to the cork pullerdescribed, except that it is not equipped with a movable clamp, theoperating lever being adapted to swing back and forth in a directionacross the counter or shelf to which the machine is secured. The machineis provided with a base a and with guide posts 6, and from said base depends the hanger A which supports the clamping screw D, adapted tooperate the clamping member D. The base is equipped with the back postit to which is pivoted the enlarged end of an operating lever H by ashaft or arbor 72., said enlarged end of the operating lever forming alocking cam it and being provided with a stud or roller h, the latterbeing arranged to work in slots 6 e of the respective crossheads B C.The crosshead C carries a nut adapted to be held in place by a bindingscrew f, and to the crosshead B is connected the extractor screw G. Thecrossheads B C are separately mounted on the guide posts Z), so as tohave slidable travel thereon, and said crossheads are adapted to haveoverlapping relation at ent embodiment of the'invention, the guide postsZ) are inclined upwardly and rearwardly in order that the crossheads maymove in. inclined paths, and for the further clined direction from thelower or rear side of the mouth portion L. The bottle rest is in linewith the extractor screw in order that the latter may be forced into acork which is adapted to be held against the rest L. The mouth portion Lis hollow, whereas the lip L is curved in cross section, whereby the topedge of the bottle may be inserted in the mouth L and the neck portionof the bottle is adapted to rest on the lip L thus affording a securesupport for theneck of the bottle from which a cork is to be extracted.

The operation of the machine is as follows: Assuming that the lever ismoved to a position where the crossheads B C are at the top and bottomrespectively, of the guide posts I), see Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 9, thelocking cam 71. of said lever engages with a shoulder or lug i of thecrosshead .C for holding the nut F in a stationary position.

The operator thrusts the mouth portion of the bottle into the bottleclamp or the bottle rest, and holds said bottle in position whileoperating the lever H. Thefirst movement of the lever causes the memberh to travel in the slot 0 of the crosshead B, thereby depressing saidcrosshead and imparting rehead B is brought into overlapping relation tothe crosshead C, see Fig. 6. At this time the member if of the leverenters into the slot 6 of the crosshead G, and the lever is now movedfor the balance of its stroke in order to complete the movement in onedirection, during which movement the memone period of their operation.In the presher It of the lever operates to lift the crosshead C whichacts to also lift the crosshead 13 substantially as shown in Fig. 7. Itwill be seen that the crossheads move upwardly in unison, and that thenut F and the screw G are carried with said crossheads, the screw Gbeing stationary so far as any rotary movement is concerned. During thisupward travel of the crossheads and their parts, the cork is pulled outof the bottle, as shown in Fig. 7, the bottle being held firmly by theclamp or the rest heretofore described. lVith the parts in the positionshown in Fig. 7, the operator reverses the lever in order to bring theparts back to their normal positions and for the purpose of ejecting thecork from the extractor screw. WVhen the lever begins its backwardmovement, the member it continues to travel in the slot 6 of thecrosshead C so that the two crossheads, the nut, the screw and the corkthereof are lowered. by the time the lever is moved one half itsdistance. Now, when the lever approaches the limit of this movement backto normal position, the cam 7L engages with the stud of the crosshead Cand the member It moves out of the slot- 0 of the crosshead C, wherebythe crosshead 0 and the nut F are locked in their normal positions,whereas the lever and the member 71/ operate on the crosshead B so as tolift the latter, at which time the screw G moving with the crosshead Bis rotated in the stationary nut F for the purpose of withdrawing theextractor screw from the cork, the latter being held below the sleeve ofthe crosshead C. It will be observed that the screw G may be easilythrust into the cork and said cork withdrawn fromthe bottle when thelever is moved in one direction, whereas the return movement of lever toits normal position operates to eject the cork from the extractor, theseoperations being easily and quickly performed by the simple movement ofa single lever.

Having thus fully described the invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a cork puller, a plurality of parallel guides, an upper cross headslidably fitted to said guides, a lower crosshead slidably fitted tosaid guides independently of the upper crosshead, a nut on the lowercrosshead, an extractor screw connected to the upper crosshead andfitted in said nut for free rotation therein, an operating lever, eachof said crossheads being provided with a longitudinal way, a devicemovable with the lever and operable by engagement with the longitudinalway of one crosshead for imparting movement to the nut carryingcrosshead separately from the screw carrying crosshead and by engagementwith the longitudinal way of the other crosshead to impart movement tothe two crossheads simultaneously, and means for restraining the nutcarrying crosshead from movement when reciprocating movement is impartedto the screw carrying crosshead by the operation of said lever.

2. In a cork puller, upright guides, a crosshead slidably fitted to saidguides, a nut carried by said crosshead, a second crosshead separatefrom said nut carrying crosshead, said second crosshead being fittedslidably to said guides independently of the first crosshead, saidcrossheads being positioned for overlapping contacting engagement, anextractor screw carried by the second crosshead and positioned forcooperation with the nut, a hand lever provided with a stud, and agroove on each crosshead, said groove extending between the uprightguides and cooperating with the stud ofthe lever, said lever operatingthe stud to impart movement to one crosshead independently of the othercrosshead and operating, upon the grooves of the two crossheads cominginto alinement with each other, to impart movement simultaneously to thetwo crossheads.

3. In a cork puller, a plu 'ality of upright guides, a crossheadpositioned transversely with relation to the guides and fitted slidablythereto, a second crosshead separate from the first crosshead, saidsecond crosshead being positioned transverselv with relation to theguides and fitted thereto for slidable movement independently of thefirst crosshead, a nut on the first crosshead, an extractor screw on thesecond crosshead, a transverse guide on each crosshead, a lever having asingle operating member positioned to travel in the transverse guides onsaid crossheads, and means operated by the lever for restraining thenutcarrying crosshead from movement when an independent movement isgiven to the screw carrying crosshead by said lever operated member.

4. In a cork puller, a plurality of upright guides, two separatecrossheads fitted upon said guides independently of each other, one ofsaid crossheads having a depending member and an opposite cut awayportion, and the other crosshead provided with an arm slidingly fittingsaid cut away portion, a transverse guide on each cross-head, a lever,means operated by the lever for looking one crosshead from movementduring an independent movement of the other crosshead, an operatingmember carried by the lever and cooperating with the transverse guidesof the two crossheads, a nut on the crosshead which is adapted to belocked in position, and an extractor screw carried by the crossheadwhich is adapted to be lifted independently of the nut carryingcrosshead.

In a cork puller, guiding means, two separate crossheads fittedexternally to the guiding means for independent sliding movementthereon, said crossheads being recessed for overlapping engagement witheach other, a nut on one crosshead, an extractor screw on the othercrosshead, a transverse guide on each crosshead, and a lever having asingle operating member positioned for separate engagement with thetransverse guides of the crossheads.

6. In a cork puller, a plurality of upright guides, an upper crossheadand a lower crosshead fitted independently of each other on said guidesfor sliding movement there on, each crosshead being provided between theguides with a transverse slot, a nut on one crosshead, an extractorscrew connected to the other crosshead, a lever, and a single studcarried by the lever and positioned for cooperation with the transverseslots of the crossheads.

7. In a cork puller, a plurality of upright guides, an upper crossheadand a lower crosshead fitted independently of each other upon saidguides for sliding movement thereon, each crosshead having a transverseslot positioned between the guides, a nut on one crosshead, an extractorscrew on the other crosshead, a lever, a locking cam operated by thelever for restraining the nut carrying crosshead from sliding movement,and a single stud carried by the lever and positioned for cooperationalternately with the transverse slots of the respective crossheads.

8. In a cork puller, a plurality of upright guides, separate crossheadspositioned one above the other and fitted independently of each otherupon said guides for sliding movement thereon, the upper crossheadhaving a depending member and an opposite cut away portion, and thelower crosshead provided with an upstanding member slidably fitting insaid cut away portion of the upper crosshead, a nut on one crosshead, anextractor screw on the other crosshead, a lever, means for restrainingthe nut carrying crosshead from movement, and means operated by thelever for operating the crossheads simultaneously and independently.

9. In a cork puller, a plurality of upright guides, an upper crossheadand a lower crosshead fitted independently of each other Copies of thispatent may be obtained for upon said guides for sliding movementthereon, each crosshead having a slot, said upper crosshead having adepending portion and an opposite cut away portion and the lowercrosshead provided with an upright guide arm, the two crossheadsoverlapping each other when in contacting engagement and the slots ofsaid crossheads are brought into alinement, a nut carried by onecrosshead, a screw rot-atably connected to the other crosshead, a lever,means operated by the lever for restraining the nut carrying crossheadfrom movement, and a stud carried by the lever and positioned to ridealternately in the slots of the respective crossheads.

10. In a cork puller, a plurality of up right guides, an upper crossheadprovided with a depending portion and an opposite cut away portion, alower crosshead having an upstanding arm slidably fitting said cut awayportion, said crossheads being fitted. independently ofeach other uponsaid guides, and said crossheads being positioned for overlappingengagement, a nut carried by one crosshead, a screw carried by the othercrosshead, a lever, a cam operated by the lever for locking the nutcarrying crosshead, and a stud movable with the lever and positioned forseparate engagement with respective crossheads.

11. In a cork puller, a plurality of parallel guide posts, a crossheadfitted slidablyi at one end upon one post and having at its other end adepending member slidably engaging the other post, a separate crossheadfitted at one end on one post and provided at its other end with anupstanding member slidably engaging the other post, said crossheadsbeing positioned for overlapping engagement, a nut on one crosshead, aneX- tractor screw carried by the other crosshead, and operating meansfor imparting movement to said crossheads and operating to reciprocateand to rotate the screw.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDWIN WALKER.

WVitnesses JAS. H. GRIFFIN, H. I. BERNHARD.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. 0.

